Internal-combustion engine



July 9, 1946. A, JANSSN 2,403,440

INTERNALLcoMBusTIoN ENGINE Filed sept. 23, 1944 vide an improved form my invention as Patented July 9,1946 l UNITED sTiiTasA PATENT omer:

INTERNAL- COMBUSTION ENGINE Arvid Janssen; wuinnsburg, one-half to George L. Calig,

Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application September 23, 1944, Serial No. 555,438

11 Claims. (Cl. BB3- 169) My invention Arelates to internal combustion engines, and more particularly to means for supplying and vaporizing liquid fuel thereto and the ignition of the atomized fuel.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved form of vaporizer and ignition device for internal combustion' engines, which can readily be applied to various standard types of gasoline or oil burning engines.

Another object of my invention is to provide a vaporizing and ignition system=of the character referred to wherein the necessity of a ntiming switch, a condenser, and-a carburetor ,is avoided.

Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby the ordinary gasoline engine can be converted to operate as an oil burning engine,

with consequent fuel economy.

of my invention is to proof pump for supplying fuel charges oi desired variable volumes to vaporizing devices.

Still another object As shown in the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1

is a sideview of a portion of an internal combustion engine with my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view,A taken on the line Iii-II of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional viewoi a portion oi' the pumping apparatus andl of one of the vaporizing and igniting plugs of Fig. l, and Fig. 4 is a stili'further enlarged viewA of one of the plugs.

For convenience of illustration, I have shown applied to an automobile engine 5, but it will be understood that the invention may be applied to other types of internal combustion engines. The invention has the 6, but in this instance, said manifold will be used only for the intake of air to mix with the atomized fuel, in forming the explosive charges. The engine shown is of the six-cylinder type, but for the usual spark plugs, I substitute fuel atomizing and vaporizing plugs 1. Each plug 'l is supplied from one of six fuel pumps 8, a from each pump to its associated plug 7.

The pumps 8 are supported on the engine block by a bracket il, or it can be mounted on the ordinary distributor mounting. The bracket il carries a bushing l2 that in turn supports plates or spiders I3 and i4 that are held in assembled relation by bolts i5, the plate l@ supporting the six pump cylinders 8 and a fuel" supply header i0 that has passageways communicating with the various pump cylinders.

The pumps 8 are all of like construction and description of one will suiice for all. Each pump comprises a cylinder block it within which a intake manifold pipe 9 leading piston ll is reciprocated to elect charges of oil into the pipe 9 that leads to one ot the plugs l,

the fuel ilowing into the cylinder through one of ports IB that leads from the header IB. The I6 has a skirt portion isa in which a loose itting plug I9 is reciprocated, the plug being loosely connected to the piston l1 by a pin 2|! and carrying a pin 2l that serves as a shaft for an anti-friction roller 22. A. spring 23 is interposed between the plate I4 and the pin 2l to urge the piston l'l downwardly and maintain the roller 22 in contact with a cam surface on a rotatable plate skirt lBa being slotted to permit vertical movements oi the pin 2l.' The piston i? is reciprothe cylinder block cated during rotation of the cam plate 2t, the f raised surface on the cam plate coming into contact with the anti-friction rollers 22 of the various pistons, successively. Y

When applying the pump mechanism to an automobile engine, it may suitably be connected with the'tlmer shaft 26 that is commonly present on automobiles. To this end, the pump apparatus has a shaft 2l' that is coupled with the shaft 2S and is rotatable in the bushing i2. At its, upper end, the shaft has splined or slidably keyed connection with the cam plate 24 so that the cam plate can be raised and lowered during rotation oi' the shaft. The cam plate 25 is supported on an anti-friction bearing unit 23 that is Slidabe on the sleeve l2, the bearing unit 2E being in turn carried by a collar 29 that has oscillatory each upward stroke of the piston i?.

movement on the sleeve I2 and has a comming surface 30 on its lower edge that engages and is vertically supported by an anti-friction roller 32 which is journaled in the sleeve E2, it being understood that there are three c surfaces 30 and three rollers 32 at equally spaced points around the sleeve l 2.

The camming collar 29 has connection with a pull-and-push rod 3i that may he operated from the drivers seat or elsewhere to oscillate the collar 29 so as to raise and lower the cam plate 2d, to vary the amount of fuel that is elected from the pump into the line 9 and to the plug i, upon it ne seen that during rotation or the shafts @i3-2, the pistons il will be raised in succession to supply fuel under pressure to 4their respective plugs l. The amount of fuel thus supplied will depend upon the length of stroke of the piston i?. When the collar 29 is in the position shown in Fig. l, the cam plate 2d and hence the pistons will move to their lowermost points and hence idling charges or even no charges of fuel will be supplied. When 2d, the lower portions of the cylinder vaporized mixture the collar 23 is turned somewhat from said position, the cam plate 24 will'be maintained at a higher plane andthe range of piston stroke will be longer, with consequent increased volume of fuel charges. Thus if the' cam plate is held at a higher plane. there will be more fuel supplied than when the cam collar 23 is adjusted to let the cam plate move farther down.

Liquid fuel is supplied from a suitable source, through an inlet. .33, past an upwardly closing check valve 34 and through a central port 35 that communicates with the lateral ports in the header i3 that in tum communicate with the cylinder `ports i3. 'The fuel will by-lpass the valve when it ism lits lower position so that supply of fuel will an adequate ilow to the header i3. The

check valve 34, when moved upwardly, prevents back flow of the fuel in the conduit 35 of a priming piston 31.

A priming device is provided for forcibly injecting fuel and expelling air from the ports and passageways leading tostarting the engine when it has been standing for 'some time and the passageways and ports are empty of fuel oil. This priming device comprises the piston 31 operated by a .plunger handle 38 that is normally held in raised position by a spring 33. Upon upward stroke of the plunger, the suctional force created thereby will draw the valve 34 to its seat and create a vacuum force, which causes an inflow of oil through the inlet 33. Re-

peated operations of the plunger introduce oil into the system.

Each of the plugs 1 is connected to its cylinder head 4l through means bi a fitting 42 that is 33 will thus I screwed into the cylinder head in lieu of the usual spark plug. A tube 43 is held in place in the fitting 42 by a clamping nut or bushing 44 vthat has threaded connection with the fitting 42,

the lower end of the tube beingl flared and anchored or clamped in place when the nut 44 is screwed down, through the medium of a holding collar 45. Suitable as a sheet or sheets 43 of mica are interposed between the tube 43 and the members 42-44-45.

Within the tube 43, plunger members 41 and 43 are provided that are unitarily connected and move as a` unit, knurling the end of the member 41. The member 43 has loose fit in the sleeve 43 so that fuel oil can be forced through the knurls 43 and down to the lower end of the member 43. A knurled plug-like extension 5| is carried by the ,member 43 and has pinned connection with the member 41, to hold these two members in assembled relation. However, the knurling or ribs on the periphery of the plug 5| are of sufiicient size to permit fuel vflow downwardly past the plug. to the knurling and past knrurling on the side of the member 43, the fuel thus supplied under pressure being thereby atomized.

The plunger member 41 has a tubular extension 52 that is slidable in the sleeve 43 for such distance as to bring an arcing stem or stud 54 onthe lower end of the member 43 into and out of engagement with an arcing pin 55 on the plug 42 so that when the member 41 has been moved to the plugs 1, preliminary- 43 being provided on maag "member 52, and the lower end thereof similarly f loose fitting and knurled, to'permit the flow of it is discharged into the combustion chamber.

The upper end of the stern 56 is releasably locked in a socket member 53 by balls 59 in such manner that the stem is held against falling downwardly relative to thesocket but can have some upward movement relative thereto. A spring 3i is interposed between the socket member 53 and a shoulder in the sleeve 43 to normally holdA the stem in raised position, with the upper surface of the enlargement at 51 shutting ofi' the flow of fuel down past the stem.

Upon the injection of fuel through the line 9, pressure will be exerted on the upper end of the member 52 to move such member downwardly, against the expansive force of the spring 6i, to the point at which the arcing stud 54 engages the contact member 55. The continued application of pressure will then be exerted on the upper end of the stem and on the enlarged head 51 of the stem to move it further downwardly and permit the forcing of oil past the member 51 and the knurled surfaces to the combustion chamber. Upon retraction of fuel pump piston i1, pressure in the plug 1 will be relieved, allowing the spring 3| to move the stem 53 and lthe tubular member 41 u-p thus `breaking the electrical contact at 34-55 and forming an arc to explode the mixture in the combustion chamber, the member 51 servinsulating materials such downwardly to make electrical contact between 54 and 3,5, and then raised, plained, an arc will as hereinafterfexbe drawn that will ignite the in the combustion chamber or engine cylinder.

A stem 53, having an enlarged lower end 51 is slidable in the member 52, the mid portion of the stem being grooved or flattened in the retraction of the ing as a check valve the plug.

This relief of :pressure in the plug 1 through pump piston I1 is provided by means of a piston 132that is slidable in a tube 1i and carries a check valve 12, locatedv above the piston I1. Upon a pressure stroke of the piston, oil will force the -piston member 13 upward to a dead stop and then force the oil past the check valve 12. Upon a retraction or suction stroke of the piston i1, the check valve will be closed and the piston 13 drawn downwardly. thus relieving pressure in the line 3 and in the plug. thereby penmitting'the spring 3i to raise the plunger 41 and draw an arc. This manner of drawing or creating an arc is more effective and dependable than in the case of ordinary spark plugs that have a gap of fixed distance.

Electrical current is suppliedfrom a battery 33 through a reactance coil 31 and a conductor 34`to a contact plate 15 which has engagement with all of the pipes 3 and thence with the various plugs. The pipes 9 are insulated at 53 from the pumps. The current, by reason of the insulation at 33, is conducted by the pipes 3 to the arcing studs I4, and the arcing bars 55 are grounded to the engine and thence to the battery circuit at 4I. The reactance coil 51 will. when the circuit an electrical surge to prevent backfiring through mixture.

I claim as my invention:

1. A'device for atomizing motive liquid supplied thereto under intermittently-applied pressures,

and for exploding the same, comprising a tubular plug member adapted for connection to a cylinder of an internal combustion contact member carried at the inner open end of the tubular member, a plunger movable axially in the tubular member, under pressure of the motive liquid, an atomizing element associated engine, an electrical other contact the plunger, and means vfor 4of an internal combustion to its outer .second-named movement l ama-14o with the plunger, for atomizing the liquid supplied thereto and discharging it into the cylinder, an electrical contact member carried by the plunger and 'movable into engagement with the member upon inward movement of automatically moving the plunger outwardly in the intervals between application of liquid fuel pressures, to effect the forming or an arc between the contact members and therebyl explode the atomized liquid.

2. A device for atomizin'g motive liquid supplied thereto under intermittently-applied pressures, and for exploding the same, comprising a tubular plug member adapted for connection to a cylinder engine, an electrical 16 contact member carried at the inner open end of the tubular member, a. plunger movable axially in the tubular member, under pressure of the Amotive liquid, an atomizing element associated with the plunger, for atomizing the liquid sup- 20 plied thereto and discharging it into the cylinder, an electrical contact `member carried by the plunger and movable into engagement with the other vContact member upon inward movement of the plunger, means fior automatically moving the plunger outwardly in the intervals between application of liquid fuelv pressures, to eect the forming ci' an are between the contact members and thereby explode the atomized liquid, and a checi: valve past which 'the liquid will now to 30 enter the cylinder, but operable to prevent baci'. 'flow when the plunger is being retracted upon the forming of an arc.

3. A device for supplyingy explosive iiuid to a cylinder ci an internal combustion engine and exploding the same therein, comprising a tubular member arranged to receive motive uid under intermittently-applied pressures and to conduct the uid into the cylinder, a plunger in the tubular member and movable toward the cylinder 40 under pressure impulses and past which the fuel will flow into the-cylinder when the plunger is at its inner positiommeans returning the plunger' position at intervals between applications of uid pressure, means preventing back ow from the cylinder when the plunger is in its outer position, and means effective to form an electric arc to explode the iiuid when the plunger moves toward its outer position. 5o

, i. A device for controlling the supply of explosive uid to a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, and exploding the fluid, comprising a member movable in one direction to admit the iluid to the cylinder, and movable in. the opposite direction to prevent back iicw from the cylinder, r and means actuated by said member during its second-named movement to form an electric arc for exploding the fluid in the cylinder.

5. A device for controlling vthe supply of explosive duid to a cylinder of an internal combustion 69 engine, and exploding the uid, comprising a, member movable in one direction to admit the iluid to the'cylinder, and movable in the opposite direction to prevent back now from the cylinder, and means actuated by said member during its to form an electric arc for exploding the iiuid' in the cylinder, the said means comprising relatively-movable electric contact members mounted on said member .and in the cylinder, respectively. 70

6. A device for supplying explosive uuid to'. a cylinder of an internal combustion engine andexplodingthe same therein, comprising a tubular member arranged to receive motive iuid under 'intermittently-applied premures andtc conduct 5 cylinder of an internal it into the cylinder, a tubular plunger in the said' member movable inwardly therein under iluid pressure impulses, a spring moving` the plunger outwardly-between the pressure impulses, a stem movable axially in the plunger and yieldably held in its outward position but movable inwardly re1- ative to the plunger, under,` said impulses, an electrical arc-forming contact member mounted in the cylinder, an electrical contact member carried by the plunger in position to engage the other contact member when the plunger is in its inward position, and cooperating check valve surfaces on the plunger and the stem, arranged to prevent back ow through the tube when the stem is in its outer position and the plunger is withdrawn to separate the contact members andvfor'm an arc.

7. A device for supplying explosive fluid to a cylinder of an internal combustion engine and exploding the same therein, comprising a tubu- 'lar` member arranged to receive motive'uid under intermittently-applied pressures and to conduct it into the cylinder, a tubular plunger in the said member movable inwardly therein under fluid pressure impulses, a spring moving the plunger outwardly between the pressure impulses, a stem movable axially in the plunger and yieldablyheld in its outward position but movable inwardly relative to the plunger, =under said impulses, an electricalarc-forming contact member mounted in the cylinder, an electrical contact member carried by to engage the other contact member when the plunger is in its inward position, means associated with the plunger for atomizing liquids that are supplied thereto under pressure, and cooperating check valve surfaces on the plunger vand the stem, arranged to prevent back ow'through the tube when the stem is in its outer position and the plunger is withdrawn to separate the contact members and form an arc.

8. A device for supplying explosive fluid to a combustion engine and exploding the same therein, member arranged to .receive motive uid under intermittently-applied pressures and to conduct it into the cylinder, a tubular plunger in the said member movable inwardly therein under uid pressure impulses, a spring moving the plunger pressure impulses, a stem movable axially in the plunger and yieldably held Y outwardly between the in its outward position but movable inwardly relative to the plunger, under said impulses, and

electrical arc-forming contact member mounted 5 inthe cylinder, an electrical contact member carried by the plunger in position to engage the other contact member when the plunger is in its inward position, means associated with the plunger for atomizing liquids that are Supplied thereto under pressure, the said atomizing means `comprising a lmurled element in the plunger,

past which they liquids 'ow, and cooperating check valve surfaces on the plunger and the stem, arranged to prevent back ow through the tube. when the stem is in i outer position and the plunger is withdrawn to separate the contact member and form an arc.

9. A device for Supplying explosive iluid to a cylinder bf an internal combustion engine and exploding the same therein, comprising a tubular member arranged to receive motive fluid under intermittently-applied pressures and to conduct it into the cylinder, a tubular plunger in the said member movable inwardly therein under `fiuid pressure impulses, a spring moving theplunger the plunger in position Y comprising a .tubular plunger for atomizlng 7 I outwardly between the pressure impulses, a stem movable axially in the plunger and yieldably held in its outward position but movable inwardly relative to the plunger, under said impulses, an

electrical arc-forming contact member mounted in the cylinder, an electrical contact member carried by the plunger in position to engage the other contact member whenv the plunger is in its inward position; means associated with the liquids that are supplied thereto under pressure, the said atomizlng means comprising a knurled element in the plunger and lateral openings in the plunger, past and through which the liquids flow, .and cooperatingfheck valve surfaces on the plunger and the stem, arranged to prevent back ow through the tube when the stem is in its outer position. and the plunger is withdrawn toA separate the contact membersand form an arc. v

10. An atomizing and ignition plug for the cylinder of an internal combustion engine, comprising a tubular member adapted for connection to ond arc-forming element,

the cylinder, to

direct fuel thereto, an arc-forming element movable within the tube, and a secthe inner end of the tube, in the path of fuel ilow, the said elements having relative movement, for making and breaking an electrical circuit therethrough. A

ll. An atomizing and ignition plug for the cylinder of an internal combustion engine, comprising a tubular member adapted for connection to the cylinder, to direct fuel thereto, an arc-forming element movable within the tube, and a second arc-forming element, positioned adjacent to the inner end of the tube, in the path of fuel ow, the said elements having relative movement, for making and breaking `an electrical circuit therethrough, the second-named arc-forming element being carried by the plug adjacent to the inner end thereof, and the plug being adapted for screw-threaded connection with anopening into the cylinder.

ARVID J AN SSON. 

